meucci



y 1952 w. J. MEUCCI 2,604,731

DUCK CALL Filed Feb. 7, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 l 772 Mew/07 W. J. MEUCCI July 29, 1952 DUCK CALL Z'SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed Feb. 7, 1948 1 III $111! IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII% a Ill/ll? Patented July 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE actual V I 'n-uoi; CALL, WilliamLMeucci, Glenview, 111. Application February 7, 1943, Serial No. 6,951

1 The principal object of this invention is to facilitate the tuning of' reed instruments, and, generally speaking, this is accomplished by shifting the reed along the tone block and preferably without changing the effective length of the reed. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the disclosure proceeds.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective bodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through, the duck call;

Fig, 3 is a perspective view of atone block, a

view of a duck call emreed, and a reed carrier removedfromthecasing to better show their relation;

1 o Claims. (01. 46-130) Fig; 4 is a'perspective'view'of thetone block; 7

Fig. 5 is a perspective view ofth-e reed carrier} Fig. 6 is a t ansverse section on the line E -5 -.2;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section through another embodiment at present preferred;

Fig. 8 is a cross section on the line 8-'-8 of Fig. 7'; 3 v

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the reed carrier and horn combined; L

Fig. 10 is a perspective viewof the reed; and) Fig. 11 is a perspective view'ofthev tone block. [0 indicates the mouth piece andcasing ofthe duck call.

I-l is a tone block lengthwise channel [2;

I3 is a reed carrier for thereed l4. i5 is a sleeve threaded on the casing lOyand having a-shoulder l6 cooperating with the end ll of the reed carrier to adjust it to thefleftin' Fig. 2 when the sleeve is screwed to the rightr Between a collar I8 on the reedcarrier and an end' portion IQ of the-tone blockis-a-helicalspring to adjust the carrier to the rightin Fig. 2 when the sleeve |5 is turned to-theleft';

In this particular embodiment, the tone block II is in the main semi-cylindrical; althoughactually it tapers about 1 degrees for producing a pressed fit with the interior 22 of'the casing [0. For convenience, this semi-cylindrical block has a hollow cylindrical end portion lflforming'a passage 23 for the reed carrier l-3 'and fittingthe interior of'the casing Ill. 1 5 The reed carrier has a forward portion 24 generally semi-cylindrical and complementary to the body of the tone block, and havin a generally fiat surface 25 adapted to move along the generally fiat surface 25 of thetone block' and grip the reed I4 between them. The'body portion of the carrier is cylindrical and providedwith a provided with a tapered 2 bore 27 forming a continuation ofthe air passage provided by the channel I2.

The channel i2 is taperedfrom right to left in Fig. 2; and in one'embodiment that has been found satisfactory, in which the circular portion of the tone block ison the order of V8" in diameter, the channel is finished with a No. 5 Morse taper pin reamer, and has its axi approximately /3 below and parallel to theaxis 0f thecircular portion of the tone block.

The. reed I t is a thin metallic strip tapered toward the free end and having its fixed end portion bent upon itself and turned at alittle moreth'an aright angle to form a resilient flange pted to be receivedinone ofseveral spaced inclined kerfs 3B in the flattened portion 24 of the carrier. The free end is preferably curved substantially as indicated in Fig.

When the call is to be adjusted for pitch or tone, the sleeve 15 1s turned relative to the casing l0 and the carrier with the reed is moved along over the channel l2. If the sleeve; is turned to the right, the carrier and reed are moved to the left in Fig.2. If the sleeve is reversed, the carrier andreed are moved to the right by the action of the spring 20. A little practice will be sufficient to determine the approximate pitch desired, when marks on the sleeve and the casing may be made to-indicate how that'particular adjustment may be quickly had again.

When an adjustment of such range asto change from a selected duck call to a selected goose call 'is'to be made, the call is taken apart and the reed 'shifted from one to: another of the kerfs 30, after which it is reassembled and adjusted by turning the sleeve l5to get the exacttone pitch desired. The changes in kerfs'changes the pre-load on the reed and hence changesthe pitch.

By putting the axis of the channel l2 at one side of the axis of the circular portion of the tone block, the sides of the channel are given a sort of overhang or return bend, indicated at 3! in Fig. 6; which is found to be of advantage incontrolling the fiow of the air. It gives a clearer tone than would otherwise be had.

The size of the bore 21 in the reed' carrier afiects the volume of the tone. The larger the bore, the louder the tone. The bore 32 of the sleeve l5 forms a sort of horn forthe call.

The tone block II is here provided with a tongue or extension 33 to carry the channel l2 well along toward" the right in Fig. 2, or the delivery end of the call;

' The call shown in Figs; 7-11 is made upchiefly of four parts-a mouth pieceorcasing 3W, atone block 35, a reed 36, a reed carrier and horn 31 in one. While the other form lends itself to manufacture in a number of different ways, this form is especially suited for manufacture from plastics by molding.

The mouth piece and casing is about 3% long and has an interior about .750" in diameter. The tone block is about 3%" long, and is secured in place by screws 38, although it is contemplated that in some instances they may be replaced by cement or by using a suitable solvent for the plastic of which the tone block and sleeve are made.

The tone block has a channel 39 finished with a #5 taper pin reamer with its axis .077" below the axis of the tone block.

There is an extension 40 on. the right end of the tone block approximately 1" long, which is received within the interior or bore 4| of the combined reed carrier and horn 31 to carry the channel 39 as indicated in Fig. 7.

The combined reed carrier'and horn 31 is approximately. 2%" long having a flattened portion 42 about it long cooperating with the flat upper surface 43 of the tone block 35 and clamping the reed 36 between them. The right end of the reed is let into the flat face 42 flush with the surface of it.

The passage through the reed carrier or horn is about .437 in diameter and offset downwardly about .0501. I

When this call is to be adjusted for pitch or tone, the combined reed holder and horn is adjusted inwardly or outwardly with respect to sleeve 34, and,-when the desired selection is made,

it is made fast byascrew 45 having a ring 46 for a handle.

When the adjustment is of such range as to change from a selected duck call to a selected oose call, the combined reed holder and horn 31 is removed, reed 36 shifted one kerf of the group 41, andthe parts are reassembled and given a final adjustment. I v

The screw 45 isnot indispensablefor, with the partsproperly made, there will be suflicient friction to hold them in adjustment. The effective range of adjustment, will ordinarily not exceed A and-that can be easily controlled by grasping the casing 34 in one hand and the combined horn and reed carrier in the other. 7

The parts of this duck call can be made of a variety of materials. Wood is very satisfactory for all the partsexcept the spring. But, for economy of production, the parts are preferably molded from what are generally called organic plastics, derivable froma large number of sources and broadly classified as synthetic resins; cellulose derivatives, natural resins, and protein matter. (Plastics in Engineering by Delmonte,,2d edition, The Penton Publishing Company,,Cleveland, 1942.)

The reed is. preferably made of hardened beryllium copper about .033" thick, though other materials may be used. It has-a flat part adjacent to the fixed end about to 1 g" long, and the remainder is curved on a radius of about 3%.

Iclaim:

1. In a reedinstrument, a casing having a lengthwise hollow, V a 1 tone block fitting in the casing and having a flattened side with a lengthwise channel, a reed with a flanged tip resting on the flattened side of the tone block and overlying said channel, an adjustable reed carrier fitting in the casing and havinga flattened portion cooperating with the flattened side of the tone block and having a series of inclined kerfs to receive the flange of said reed, and means to secure the reed carrier in adjusted position.

2. In a reed instrument, a casing having a lengthwise hollow, a tone block fitting in the casing and having a flattened side with a lengthwise channel so constructed that the upper lips of the channel overhang the channel, a reed on the flattened side of the tone block and overlying said channel, an adjustable-reed carrier fitting in the casing, said reed carrier having a flattened portion cooperating with the flattened side of the tone block and a tubular portion telescoping over the end portion of the tone block, and means to secure the reed carrier in adjusted position.

3. In a reed instrument, a tone block having a lengthwise tapered channel so constructed that at least one of the upper lips of said channel overhangs said channel, a reed over-lying the channel and having a flanged tip, a movable carrier for the reed having a series of inclined kerfs for receiving the flanged tip of said reed, and means for moving the carrier and reed lengthwise of the tone block.

4. In a reed instrument, a tone block having a flattened side with a lengthwise channel in it and a passage aligned with the channel, a reed overlying the channel, a carrier for the reed extending through the passage, threaded means engaging said carrier for moving the carrier in one direction along the tone block, and resilient means engaging said carrier for moving the carrier in the opposite direction.

5. In a reed instrument, a casing, a tone block in the casing havinga lengthwise channel, a reed overlying the channel, a carrier for the reed movable lengthwise of the tone block, and threaded means carried by the casing for moving the carrier and reed along said tone block.

6. In a reed instrument, a telescoping sectional casing, a tone block in the casing having a flattened side with a lengthwise channel therein, a reed having a flanged tip and overlying the channel, a reed carrier having a series of inclined kerfs adapted to receive theflanged tip of said-reed and having a flattened surface cooperating with the flattened side of said tone block, and means for moving said reed carrier and reed over said block and channel in response to a corresponding adjustment of the sections of said casing.

7. In a reed instrument, a hollow casing, a tone block, having aflattened side with a lengthwise channel, fixed within said casing; a reed overlying said channel, a reed carrier extending beyond said casingand having a flattened side overlying the flattened asideof said tone block, said reed carrier being movable longitudinally relative to said tone block, and means engaging said reed carrier to secure said reed in adjusted position.

8. A reed instrument comprising, a hollow casing, a hollow sleeve rotatably mounted on and extending beyond'said casing, an inwardly offset shoulder in the interior of said sleeve,'a tone block .flxed within said casing and having a lengthwise channel, a reed overlying said channel, an adjustable reed carrier extending beyond said casing .and abutting said shoulder of said sleeve, and a spring mounted between said tone block and said reed carrier opposing inward movement of said reed carrier.

9. A duck-call comprising, a hollow casing, a

tone block .fixedwithin said casing and having a flattened channelled side, areed overlying said channel, and a unitary reed carrier slidably mounted Within and extending beyond said casing, so that movement of said reed carrier will cause a corresponding movement of said reed relative to said tone block.

10. A wind instrument comprising an elongated body open therethrough from end to end, a sound unit in said body comprising a reed carrier and tone block portions, and a reed supported by said reed carrier portion, said tone block portion having a longitudinal groove underlying said reed, and said reed carrier portion and said reed being longitudinally slidable in said body, and means accessible exteriorly of said body for fix- 6 ing said sound unit in longitudinally adjusted positions in said body.

WILLIAM J. MEUCCI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 333,094 Fuller Dec. 22, 1885 795,493 Ditto July 25, 1905 813,853 Brunner Feb. 27, 1906 2,544,370 Walther Mar. 6, 1951 

